Colourless
by Light Blue Walls
Summary: "Her eyes, usually a bright, sparkling brown, looked like mud –dull, colourless mud. This girl could not be Katie Bell. She couldn’t be. No, she was Katherine A. Bell, the St. Mungo’s coma patient." Oliver finds not all is well with his friends. Oneshot


Title: Colourless  
Main Characters: Oliver, Mellie(OC), Fred, Katie  
Pairings: Oliver/Katie  
Quote: "Beauty without colour seems somehow to belong to another world." ~Murasaki Shikibu

**_Colourless_**

The bright hues and loud sounds of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes pulled Oliver back to his Hogwarts days. Chasing the twins after they pranked him, getting laughed at by Katie and Angelina, forcing the entire team to do wind sprints as punishment…what crazy days those had been.

"Uncle Ollie?" Mellie, his seven-year-old niece asked. "What's this place?"

Oliver smiled. "This is a joke shop, Mel. Some old classmates of mine run it. We're here to buy a birthday present for your brother."

Mellie nodded, distracted by the fireworks that went off over their heads as they walked in. She gripped his hand tighter, gazing at the shelves and shelves of merchandize in wonder.

"Oliver! Absolutely smashing to see you again!" Fred – or George – called from behind the counter. His top-hat was singing a crude song about a man who went to Peru, losing track of what verse it was on every time the twin made any sudden movement.

"Wood! You look as spiffing as ever!" George – or Fred – shouted as he popped up next to his brother. Oliver led Mellie over to the counter, grinning at the twins.

"This place is scary, boys. I can't believe you're actually able to corrupt the next generation of witches and wizards. This shop should be illegal." The twins laughed, messing up the top-hat's song again.

"Thank you, dear-Captain-of-mine! Oh, and who is this?" The twin Oliver assumed to be George walked around the counter, squatting next to Mellie.

She ducked behind Oliver's legs, blushing slightly. Oliver pushed her towards George, whispering, "Say hi to Mr. Weasley, Mel."

She peeked out a little from her hiding spot, and said, "Hullo."

George grinned, then pulled out a conjured bouquet of flowers from behind his back. "For you, Ms. Mellie. It is very nice to meet you."

Mellie giggled, taking the bouquet. "Thank you, Mr. Weasley."

George stood, then offered the small girl his hand. "Would you like to see the Pygmy Puffs, Mellie?"

She nodded enthusiastically, and wandered off with George. Fred came around to take his twin's place, grinning.

"Why do I feel like Mellie is going to come back with some horrible plot to kill me?" Oliver groaned, scowling jokingly at Fred.

The ginger demon shrugged. "Oh, George just has too much fun playing with the Pygmy Puffs. Mellie was just an excuse to act all girly."

Oliver laughed, running a hand through his hair. "So, how have you two been? Besides brainwashing a new year of Hogwarts students into torturing Filch, I mean."

Fred shrugged, waving to the store around him. "We've been good. Mum wasn't too happy about the business, but she'll get over it."

Oliver laughed again. "Well, I suppose after raising you two, she's gotten used to disappointment."

Fred chuckled, nodding in agreement. "I think Angie said the same thing when she first visited. Always had so much faith in me, that girl."

"How is Angelina? Been treating her all right? After captaining you two, I don't know how she didn't go completely mental."

Fred patted Oliver on the shoulder, sighing. "Yes, you poor dear. Angelina's very lucky to not have turned out like you did. Of course, you were our captain for much longer."

Oliver rolled his eyes. "Har, har. How's Alicia? She and George still dating?"

Fred nodded. "Yup, those disgusting lovebirds. I'm sure they'll be tying the knot as soon as George gets some sense knocked into him."

Oliver nodded, then paused. As much as he wanted to hear about the well-being of his former beaters and their girlfriends, there was one person who really concerned him. One person whom he was too afraid to ask about.

"How…how's Katie doing? I haven't seen her since she got out of St. Mungo's." Fred looked, smile gone.

"She's not doing too well, actually. Got a job at Quality Quidditch Supplies, but she's just…she's not Katie anymore." Oliver looked up to see Fred like he had never seen him before – serious. In fact, Oliver thought the young man might start crying at any moment. Katie had always been Fred's best friend, his "other twin." The fact that Fred was upset about Katie's state of being scared Oliver to death.

"She's really quiet now – I know, a quiet Katie? It's unnerving. And she never really laughs. Kind of half-smiles a bit, but nothing major. Oh, speak of the devil."

The doors of the shop opened again, and three girls walked through. Angelina led the way, pushing her sunglasses to the top of her head. Alicia followed, licking happily on an ice-cream cone. And then – Oliver thought his heart had stopped beating – Katie crossed the threshold, a blank look on her face.

"Wood! Good to see you!" Angelina waved, smiling happily. Alicia looked up, then waved furiously, nearly dropping her ice cream. Katie just half-smiled, raising her hand weakly.

"Oliver! How have you been?" Alicia asked as they got closer, pulling Katie along by the hand.

"Er, I've been good. Just taking my niece shopping," He replied, studying Katie. He had forgotten how dark her hair had gotten when she was in St. Mungo's, and how pale she had become. The dark circles under her eyes had not gone away like he had hoped; instead, they seemed to have intensified. Her eyes, usually a bright, sparkling brown, looked like mud – dull, colourless mud.

This girl could not be Katie Bell. She couldn't be. No, she was Katherine A. Bell, the St. Mungo's coma patient.

"Oh, where is she?" Alicia asked, noticing his childless state.

"Er, I think George kidnapped her."

Angelina and Alicia laughed, while Katie smirked a bit.

"That's what happens when you let George near small children."

They all turned to stare at Katie, each one thinking the same thing: _Did Katie just make a joke?_

"Uncle George, look at my new Pygmy Puff! Her name is Stella!" Mellie ran up to Oliver, shoving a bright-prink fuzzball in his face.

"Oh, how nice, Mel." He said, patting her shoulder. "Should we get one for your brother, too?"

"Yeah! I already picked one out for him!" George, who had run up behind her, held an orange one, grinning.

Katie let out a small laughing, moving to tickle the fuzzy thing in the twin's hand. Angelina and Alicia stared at Oliver, smiles forming on their faces. Fred and George looked at each other, nodding.

"Free of charge, mate," Fred said, clapping Oliver on the back.

Oliver stared. "What? No, I couldn't."

George shoved the orange thing into the older man's hands, smiling. "Trust us. We owe you."

Oliver took it, frowning. "What for?"

The twins, Angelina, and Alicia looked to where Katie was playing with Mellie and Stella, outright laughing.

It was Fred who answered. "For bringing back some colour to our lives."

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